This paper investigates the changes in surface water chemistry and associated impacts on the stream quality from landscape disturbances and fragmentation of agro-forested lands in eastern Ohio. The fragmentation over the last decade is occurring from the shale gas exploration using horizontal drilling technology. A single well pad along with its auxiliary infrastructure can convert approximately 20 – 30 acres of forested land into an impervious area. However, given the large number of well pads constructed in a short period of time, this exploration can lead to considerable forest fragmentation in the region, and further might result in land erosion, deterioration of regional surface water quality, and loss of healthy ecological habitats. The well pad inventory shows over 136 pads constructed between 2014 and 2018 in Muskingum watershed alone resulting in 2200 hectares of deforested land, which estimates to about 22.57 % forest loss calculated based on tree heights.  Harrison and Carroll are the counties in eastern Ohio experiencing the most significant deforestation and undergoing the most intensive well pad construction, respectively, within the basin. Therefore, this project primarily focused on studying the changes in surface water quality in these two counties at the sub-watershed scale. Surface water sampling and quality analysis were carried out in two streams (Irish and Conotton) and one reservoir (Leesville) in Carroll and Harrison counties. Water samples were collected from 10 sites in the fall and spring of years 2018 and 2019. Our study analyzed total suspended solids, conductivity, chloride, and nutrients, Ba, Sr, Mg and Ca. The results showed only seasonal variations in key elemental levels in upstream water samples. Increase of nitrate contents were also observed from 0.06 to 1.6 ppm in stream samples.

Chemistry of surface waters in the agro-forested watersheds of Eastern Ohio experiencing unconventional natural gas exploration

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.